Thinkabara🎻 The V sound: articulation words & activities
Everything you need to practice the V sound /v/: 54 words at the beginning, middle and end of words (each with a picture and audio), blends, phrases, sentences, a short story and printable V articulation worksheets.
How to make the V sound
- Put the top teeth on the bottom lip like for F.
- Turn the voice on: "vvvvv" like a vacuum cleaner.
- Feel the lip tickle.
V words — beginning of the word 16
V words — middle of the word 16
V words — end of the word 16
V words — blends 6
Tap any picture to hear the word (uses your device's built-in voice).
Practice mode and printable V worksheets
Pick a level and position, then open the big-card practice mode or print picture cards, bingo boards, a memory game, a home practice log or a word list.
Phrases
- very violet
- five vans
- love the movie
- drive the van
- seven gloves
- brave beaver
- vanilla ice cream
- wave at the dove
Sentences
- Val drives a van.
- The vase is on the stove.
- I love vanilla.
- Seven doves live in the cave.
- The volcano is very big.
- Vince plays the violin.
- We have five gloves.
- Wave to the beaver in the river.
📖 Short story: Victor's Very Big Van
Victor had a very big van. Every Saturday he drove it to the river to visit his friend Vera the beaver. One day Victor brought a vase of violets, a jar of olives and seven vanilla cupcakes. Vera waved from the river. "Victor! I love visitors!" They sat by the waves and ate every cupcake. Then a dove flew down and landed on Victor's sleeve. "Can I come in your van too?" Victor laughed. "Of course! There is lots of room in my very big van."
Read it together slowly. Pause on each V word and let your child say it, or ask who, what and where questions.
About the V sound
V is the voiced partner of F: the top teeth rest on the bottom lip and the voice buzzes. You can feel the lip tickle.
Children often say B ("bery" for very) or F for V while learning it. V almost never ends English words except in -ve spellings (five, glove, wave).
When do children learn it? Most children (about 90%) produce the V sound by around age 4–5, according to a 2020 review of US studies (Crowe & McLeod). Every child is different — see the speech sound development chart.
🎲 Practice games
Vacuum cleaner
Push a toy (or pretend) vacuum around the room saying "vvvvv", picking up V picture cards as you go.
Volcano
Stack paper cups. Each V word adds a cup. At the top, the "volcano" erupts — knock it down!
Bingo and memory
Print the bingo boards (each one is different) and the caller cards. Whoever calls a card says the word; players say it again as they cover the square.
Tips for parents and teachers
- Keep sessions short and playful: 5–10 minutes a day beats one long session a week.
- Go step by step: sound alone → syllables → words → phrases → sentences → the story → conversation. If it gets hard, go back one step.
- Model the word correctly instead of correcting ("Yes, a rabbit!").
- Blowing and tongue exercises without speech ("oral-motor exercises") have not been shown to improve speech sounds. Practicing the sound itself is what helps.
Frequently asked questions
At what age should a child say the V sound?
In a 2020 review of US studies (Crowe & McLeod), about 90% of children produced V /v/ by around age 4–5. That is a range, not a deadline — many children master it earlier, and some later. If you are worried, talk to a licensed speech-language pathologist (SLP).
How do I practice the V sound at home?
Practice for 5–10 minutes a day, a little at a time. Start with whatever level is easy (a single sound, then words, phrases, sentences and the story). Say the word correctly yourself and let your child copy you — don't ask them to "say it right". If your child sees an SLP, follow their plan and practice the words they choose.
Which position should we start with?
Usually the position the child finds easiest. For many sounds that is the beginning of the word, but not always — an SLP will test which words and positions are stimulable (easy to imitate) for your child.
Are these printable articulation worksheets free?
Yes. Every word list, card set, bingo board and home practice log on this page is free to print on US Letter paper, with no sign-up.
More speech sounds
Related pages
All speech therapy activitiesMinimal pairsArticulation card makerHome practice sheets